Bowling team gets golden hat trick, eight on the day for Indonesia
Bowling team gets golden hat trick, eight on the day for Indonesia
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Bowlers Happy Ari Dewanti Soediyono, Putty Insavilla Armein
and Novie Phang pulled together to produce a shocking victory in
the women's event for the team's third gold in Paranaque City on
Thursday.
Overall, the national contingent's haul on the fifth day of
competition was eight gold -- from gymnastics (2), bowling,
rowing, weightlifting, cycling, swimming and, late in the
evening, the men's team pencaksilat contribution.
Indonesia remained in fifth place with 18 gold medals, behind
the host, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.
There is the disheartening prospect that Indonesia, which was
third in Vietnam in 2003 and is a nine-time overall medal
standings winner, could finish outside the top three when the
Games end on Monday.
Officials are already blaming the poor showing on the lack of
government support for the athletes.
"I knew it when they arrived," team official Indra Kartasamita
told The Jakarta Post.
"As a former athlete, I see support from government officials
at the venues as imperative to boost the athletes' fighting
spirit," added the former sailing athlete.
Even with support in short supply and the gripes about the
bias toward the host team, the Indonesian women bowlers put in an
impressive performance, scoring 4,060 points to thrash the
favored host team (1,317) and Malaysia.
For Putty and Happy, it was their second gold after their
triumph in the doubles. The other gold for Indonesia was
contributed by Ryan Lalisang in the men's individual event.
Gymnastics contributed two gold through Adelina "Riri"
Wulandari in the women's vault, who edged compatriot Dewi Prahar,
while in the men's floor exercise Muhammad Adiala Akbar shared a
crowded threeway tie on the podium.
Magdalene Sutanto took Indonesia's second gold medalist in the
pool in the women's 800-meter freestyle in Los Banos, following
on from Wednesday's 100-meter freestyle win by evergreen Richard
Sambera.
Santia Tri Kusuma gave the Indonesian cycling team a flying
start on the opening day of competition in Tagaytay. A double
gold medalist two years ago, Santia won the women's Individual
Time Trial. But the men's division belonged to Vietnam, leaving
veteran Tonton Susanto to settle for silver.
In rowing, Agus Budi Aji, Aldino Maryandi, Rodiaman and
Iswandi won the men's lightweight sculls.
From Bacolod, Misdan Yunip lifted a total of 306 kilograms to
earn the Indonesian weightlifting team a gold in the 69-kilogram
division.
The men's pencaksilat team triumphed in Cebu, outfighting
Vietnam and Malaysia.